With local and regional administrators:
Pope urges more government support
for families and young people
VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Pope received Gianni Alemanno, mayor of the City of Rome; Esterino Montino, vice president of the Region of Lazio, Italy, and Nicola Zingaretti, president of the Province of Rome, each accompanied by an entourage, for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings.
Opening his remarks to them, the Pope pointed out that heads of public institutions must "constantly pursue the common good", favouring "healthy debate, because the more decisions and measures are shared, the more they will bring real development to the inhabitants of the territory".
Going on to refer to urban development plans, the Holy Father highlighted how these "must favour the process of socialiZation, avoiding the emergence and growth of individualism and of exclusive concern for personal interests, which are harmful to human coexistence".
Benedict XVI expressed the hope that "in outlying areas as in the rest of the city", structures may be built "to help young parents in their educational duties. I likewise hope that further provisions may be made in support of families, especially large families, so that the entire city may benefit from the irreplaceable role of this institution, which is the first and indispensable cell of society.
"As part of the promotion of the common good, the education of the new generations ... is a predominant concern", the Pope added. In this context he indicated that "it is vital to help young people base their lives on authentic values, values that refer to an 'exalted' view of man which finds one of its most sublime expressions in Christian religious and cultural heritage".
"When educating on the great questions of affectivity and sexuality, which are so important for life, we must avoid showing adolescents and young people ways that tend to devalue these fundamental dimensions of human existence. To this end the Church calls for everyone to collaborate, especially those who work in schools, to educate the young to a lofty vision of human love and sexuality.
"Thus I invite everyone to understand that, in pronouncing her 'noes', the Church is really saying 'yes' to life, to love lived in the truth of the giving of self to the other, to the love that opens up to life and does not close itself in a narcissistic view of the couple".
Before concluding his address the Pope encouraged the competent authorities "to pay constant and coherent attention to the world of sickness and suffering. May the healthcare structures, which are so numerous in Rome and Lazio and which provide an important service to the community, administer the public weal with ever greater care, showing professional competency and generous dedication to the sick, the welcome and care of whom must be the supreme criterion for those who work in this field".
"I trust, then", he concluded, "that despite the persisting economic difficulties, these structures may receive adequate support for the valuable service they provide".
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's address:
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen:
I am happy to meet you for this traditional appointment which offers us the opportunity to exchange greetings for the new year and to reflect on the reality in our land, in which for 2000 years the Successor of Peter has been present as Bishop oF Rome and metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman ecclesiastical province which covers the entire region of Lazio.
I am grateful for your visit and I address my deferential and cordial greeting to tHE Vice President of the Lazio Regional Council, the Hon. Esterino Montino; to the Mayor of Rome, Hon. Gianni Alemanno; and to the president of the Province of Rome, Hon. Nicola Zingaretti, whom I thank for the courteous words they addressed to me in the name of the administrations that they lead. With them, I greet the presidents of the respective Council Assemblies who are present.
As they pointed out, the crisis which has involved the entire global economy has had consequences for the residents and businesses in Rome and Lazio. At the same time, it has offered the possibility to rethink the model of growth that has been followed in these past years.
In the encyclical Caritas in veritate, I pointed out that in order to be authentic, human development must consider man in his totality and must be realized in charity and in truth.
The human being, in fact, must be at the center of political action, and must be the first concern for those who are called to administer the civilian community.
It is fundamental that those who have been entrusted by the citizenry with the high responsibility of governing their institutions be aware of the priority demand to constantly pursue the common good, which is "not a good sought for itself, but for the persons who form part of the social community and who only in that community can truly and more effectively achieve their wellbeing" (Caritas in veritate, 7).
In order that this may happen, it is necessary that institutions look to favor a healthy dialectic such that the more decisions and provisions are shared, the more they will allow effective development for the residents of the territories they administer.
In this context, I wish to express my appreciation for the efforts by these administrations to attend to the weakest and most emarginated layers of society with a view to promoting a more just and fraternal coexistence.
Accordingly, I wish to invite you to be attentive that the centrality of the human being and the family constitutes the principle that inspires your every choice.
In particular, to pay attention to the development of new settlements in the cities in order that the housing complexes that are rising are not simply dormitory neighborhoods.
To this end, it is necessary to plan structures that favor the processes of socialization, avoiding the emergence and growth of closure into individualism and exclusive attention to one's own interests which are damaging to human coexistence.
Respecting the competence and jurisdiction of civilian authorities, the Church is happy to offer its own contribution so that these neighborhoods may have a social life worthy of man. I know that in many suburban zones, this has already happened, thanks to the efforts of the communal administration in realizing important works, and I hope that such demands will be taken into consideration where necessary.
I am thankful for the consolidated collaboration that exists among the administrations that you lead and the Vicariate, in particular, in the construction of new parochial complexes, which besides being reference points for Christian life, also carry out a fundamental educational and social function.
Such collaboration has allowed the achievement of some significant objectives. In this respect, I am happy to point out that in certain new neighborhoods, where, in particular, young families with small children live, the ecclesial communities, aware that openness to life is at the center of true human development (cfr Ibid.,28), have opened 'oratories for children'.
These useful structures serve as day care centers for children while their parents are at work. I am confident that an ever more fruitful synergy between various institutions will allow the emergence in the suburbs, as in the rest of the city, of analogous structures that will also help young parents to carry out their educational tasks.
I hope that more provisions may be adopted in favor of families, especially those with many children, so that the entire city may gain from the irreplaceable function of this fundamental institution, which is the first and indispensable cell of society.
In the context of promoting the common good, education of the new generations, who constitute the future of our region, represents the predominant concern that administrators of the public good share with the Church and with all formative organizations.
For some years, the Diocese of Rome and those of Lazio have been engaged in offering their contributions to meet the ever more urgent demands of young people which require adequate and high-profile educational responses.
The necessity and urgency of helping the youth to plan their lives on the basis of authentic values are evident to everyone - values that refer to a 'high' standard of man and which find their most sublime expression in the Christian religious and cultural patrimony.
Today the new generations want to know what is man and what is his destiny - they seek answers that can show them the way to follow in order to found their existence on perennial values.
In particular, in formative efforts on the great issues of affective relations and sexuality - so important in life - one must avoid exposing adolescents and young people to ways that favor the banalization of these fundamental dimensions of human existence.
To this end, the Church says Yes to life, to love lived in the truth of giving oneself to the other, to love which is open to life and is not closed within a narcissistic view of the married couple.
She is convinced that only such choices can lead to a model of life in which happiness is a shared good. On these themes, as well as on those of the family founded on matrimony, and on respect for life from conception to its natural end, the ecclesial community cannot but be faithful to the truth that "alone can guarantee freedom and the possibility of integral human development" (Ibid.,9).
Finally, I cannot fail to exhort the competent authorities to paying constant and consistent attention to the world of the sick and the suffering.
May the health care structures, which are quite numerous in Rome and in Lazio, and which offer an important service to the community, be places in which there is always attentive and responsible management of the public good, professional competence and generous dedication towards patients, whose reception and care should be the supreme criterion of those who work in this field.
Rome and Lazio, with their structures for public health, have known for centuries the presence of similar structures of Catholic inspiration which work in favor of broad sectors of the population.
In these institutions, it is sought to join professional competence and care of the sick with the truth and the charity of Christ. Indeed, inspired by the Gospel, their goal is to accompany suffering persons with love and hope, sustaining even their search for meaning, and seeking to answer the questions that inevitably arise in the hearts of those who have to live with sickness and pain.
Indeed, man must be healed in the unity of his spiritual and physical being. I trust, therefore, that notwithstanding persistent economic difficulties, such structures can be adequately sustained in their valuable service.
Respected authorities, as I express my sincere gratitude for your courteous adn welcome visit, I assure you of my cordial nearness and prayers for you, for the high responsibilities that are entrusted to you, and for the residents of the territories that you administer.
May the Lord sustain and guide you, and grant the fulfillment of those expectations for good that are present in the heart of everyone. With such sentiments, and with affection and good will, I impart the Apostolic Blessing, extending it to your families and those who live and work in Rome, its province and all of Lazio.
Before he addressed the delegations gathered together, the Holy Father met individually in private audiences with Alemanno, Montino and Zingaretti.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/01/2010 13:16]